Valentine's Day

I’m Emily and my choices of food are chicken, cheese, bread, lettuce, sweet potatoes, apples, and eggs. Quite a few good choices, I’d say, that when prepared the right way would be fit for a king.

I am doing well in this endeavor as I like structure and must somehow like to feel confined. I have barely eaten any lettuce or sweet potatoes, so my digestive system has not been quite right since the beginning of this. I love bread and eggs, and could eat that my entire life. But man, how I’d love a coke and some chips, some wine and salami, oooh, beer and pizza.

Our council decided to allow a free pass one meal this month. I chose Valentine’s Day with the family at a steak restaurant. The beer was full bodied and very tasty. I loved each sip. I ordered filet mignon, sautéed spinach and a loaded baked potato- perfect anti-7 mentality. (I feel like I haven’t learned anything in this experiment if I simply order the “American consume way” at my first opportunity.) However, this was a taste of remembrance of what I have left behind- of what all of us seven girls have left behind when we committed to this experiment.

May we emerge from these seven months as changed individuals. Hopefully, it will be lasting and evident in our decision making.

By simply removing many food choices this month, I have forced myself to have forethought on my decisions and restraint when faced with choices outside my committed foods. I have a sense of thankfulness for all that I have- the amount of food, my family's health, the comfort of a home….

May this experiment show us specific areas in which we are too consumed in our busy lives to focus on the things God gives. I hope we will be thankful everyday and that we will strive to meet the needs of others that do not have what our privilege life has given to us.

I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

-Gandhi

My goal is to not be like the Christian that Gandhi observed.